In Depth Bawitius was a prehistoric relative to the Polypterus genus of fish that we know today, which is also a popular fish amongst aquarium keepers. However comparison between fossils of Bawitius compared with Polypterus, indicate that Bawitius was much larger, potentially reaching sizes up three meters long. Aside from other large fish such as … Read more
In Depth Knightia were small freshwater fish often described as ‘herring-like’ that lived in North America during the Eocene period. Also because Knightia were schooling fish they are often preserved still in their shoals with some specimens even being preserved on top of each other. This is why so many fossils of this fish are … Read more
In Depth Further Reading – Review of the Vertebrata of the Cretaceous period found west of the Mississippi River – Edward Drinker Cope – 1874. – Vert�br�s fossiles du bassin du Niger [Fossil vertebrates of the Niger basin] – C. Arambourg & L. Joleaud – 1943. – A check list of North American Marine Cretaceous … Read more
In Depth The name Eobothus is a reference to the earlier appearance of this genus to the modern genus Bothus, a type of flounder. Eobothus had a very similar body form, with the body being compressed flat so that it could blend into the sandy bottom of the ocean floor and rely upon its camouflage … Read more
In Depth Loosely termed a catfish, Hypsidoris would have been a bottom dwelling predator of other aquatic creatures such as fish and invertebrates in the water systems that that been left behind by the receding Western Interior Seaway that had previously submerged most of central North America back in the Cretaceous and Palaeocene. Hypsidoris ‘tasted’ … Read more
In Depth Hypsocormus was in essence a fish built for speed. The tail lobes were large and in approximate proportion to one another which meant that the tail was capable of providing strong forward thrusts for very little effort. Even more key to fast swimming however were the pectoral fins which are in the simplest … Read more
In Depth Gillicus was related to another Cretaceous bony fish, Xiphactinus, and with it shared a streamlined body with a strongly upturned mouth. These characteristic features have led both fish to be compared to the modern day Tarpon, although neither of them are actually related to it. Gillicus had several small sharp teeth in its … Read more
In Depth Pholidophorus is often considered a herring-like fish in both appearance and ecological niche. The symmetrical tail would have allowed for fairly high cruising speeds, though Pholidophorus were probably not pursuit predators. Instead they likely inhabited surface waters where they either focused their attentions upon either small fish of other marine organisms. Pholidophorus are … Read more
In Depth What had started in genera such as Canobius towards a better adapted open water predator form, Perleidus continued into the Triassic. Like earlier yet fairly recent for the time forms, Perleidus had a lower jaw that was suspended directly below the skull so that the mouth could be opened very wide, allowing for … Read more
In Depth Diplomystus are thought to be related to modern day herring, and like them their strongly upturned mouths suggest that they fed in open water rather than feeding off the bottom. Although Diplomystus are known to have grown up to sixty-five centimetres long, fossils of Diplomystus are usually smaller with fossils even revealing the … Read more